DIY Birthday Party

I know every parent ever says, "I can't believe Suzie is [insert age] already," but seriously, you guys! How has it been 2 years already?! The calendar says so, so I guess it must be true. My baby is hardly a baby anymore. I won't bore you with the sentimental drivel. The point is, Jackson turns 2 next month, and it's time to talk birthday party.

Now, last year we spent a small fortune in supplies and decor at the local party store, and for what? It was a nice party and all, but it was kind of hard to see where the money went when it was all said and done. It was a Sesame Street-themed party with mostly licensed paper products and decor, so the cost of everything was highly inflated. I should know better, but I fell for it because I was short on time and wanted my first kid's very first birthday party ever to be special. The first birthday will never happen again, I reasoned! I even bought bulk-sized products from Sam's Club (my dad is a member) to make sure we had enough to feed a small army, in case one showed up at the party. Some of my super-size condiments are still hanging out in the fridge to this day.

When March rolled around and I brought up Jackson's second birthday party, hubby was extremely apprehensive, and I got it. But this year, I told him, I am armed with DIY inspiration! We can still have a great party on an appropriately small budget! The key is to start early so there is ample time for stress-free DIY projects. As a stay-at-home mommy to a very clingy toddler, I don't get a lot of free time for crafting, so planning ahead is extremely important to make the most of it.

Our theme this year is "Jackson's Favorite Things," so the plan is for most of the party elements to tie into something my son loves.

First, I wanted to create the illusion that all his favorite characters came to wish him a happy birthday. I found images (via google image search) of the characters that were simple enough to sketch and printed them out so they were handy for spare moments in the middle of the day. I bought poster board (between 50 and 75 cents a piece) and used a pencil to freehand images of the characters on the posterboard, erasing and tweaking until I was happy with them. Then I outlined the images and colored them in with markers (and in a few cases, used crayons for detail). I was psyched to find blue and red poster board at the dollar store, because that saved me a lot of time coloring in Elmo, Thomas, and Blue! Jackson watched me excitedly and shouted their names. I was thrilled that he could recognize them, since I don't have a huge amount of confidence in my artistic ability.

             

Next, I did a little searching on my favorite craft sites for birthday party ideas. I found this fantastic post full of DIY/inexpensive birthday ideas, which led me to this free banner template. I printed these letters and symbols to create templates for the banner. Then I traced the templates onto a leftover poster board, cut them out, and colored them with markers. Brian helped cut out all the little details in the letters. I could have saved time by buying colored poster board or cardstock, but I decided to use the white board and markers because I already had them on hand. I strung the banner together with yarn (which I already owned as well), and voila! A perfect birthday party banner.

I remembered that the Nick Jr. website has tons of free printables, so I poked around their site for awhile and found some great stuff for the party. I printed and assembled this Dora the Explorer birthday wish poster so guests can write birthday messages for Jackson as a party keepsake.

 I found Yo Gabba Gabba masks that I know Jackson and his cousins will adore.

I decided to do small goodie bags for the kids that follow the "Favorite Things" theme. I found craft foam bookmarks and stickers at the dollar store and made cute bookmarks for party favors. Some are transportation-themed (for Jackson's favorite toys) and some are Eric Carle-themed (for Jackson's favorite books). I found mini shape pencil sharpeners with stars, circles, squares, and rectangles (all different colors) and divided those up, one per bag. Jackson loves to find and identify shapes, especially stars. The Dora the Explorer tops were two for a dollar at the dollar store. I rounded out the goody bag with red Thomas the Tank Engine whistles and Thomas plastic goodie bags. These are licensed party items, of course, but they were inexpensive at K-Mart, and I decided that it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing when it comes to DIY parties. A couple of cost-effective, ready-made items can save time and stress, and if you choose wisely, can even help keep you on budget.

Heather at Dollar Store Crafts has some fantastic free/cheap birthday game ideas. I will definitely be borrowing her block-stacking game for our party, since Jackson has tons of blocks in a variety of styles. I think we may modify this game a bit by having guests play on teams. I also anticipate Jackson trying to knock the block towers down as they are being built (his favorite part of blocks), so we figure that's just one more challenge to spice up the game. If Jackson knocks it down, tough luck - start building again! Whoever has the tallest block tower in a TBD time frame will win a small prize. I haven't decided on prizes at this time.

I'm also imagining a "car corner" with Jackson's road playmat and all types of cars (which we already own, of course) for the kids to play with throughout the party.

Our current menu for the party is as follows:
-Pizzas! Who doesn't love pizza? It's a favorite of kids and adults alike.
-raw fruit and veggie trays with homemade dips
-Jackson's favorite crackers
-O Cookies
-delicious ice cream from a local dairy farm
-a giant cookie cake

Regarding the cake: I try to minimize the amount of artificial dyes in Jackson's food, so I wasn't comfortable making or buying a cake with tons of color. I considered a train cake, block cake, or a regular sheet or round cake with an image, such as Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? I researched natural food dyes for icing, and found some interesting ideas for making your own food coloring (such as boiling spinach or beets), as well as ready-made natural food coloring. There are more options out there than I thought, so I would encourage anyone interested to consider this option when serving artificially colored food to children. Ultimately, I chose simplicity over what felt like an immense amount of additional work required to make icing of various natural colors to decorate a cake that will probably be devoured in no time at all. Since Jackson is only turning two - and isn't particularly picky about what is on his cake - I opted out this time, but I would consider it again in the future. Instead, we are going to try to make a giant cookie cake inspired by Jackson's love of cookies, especially Ginger-O's. We found the perfect "2" candle with a pair of star candles at the dollar store to top the cookie cake. We haven't decided on the exact cake and filling at this time, but we will be baking it from scratch and will strive for healthy as well as delicious cake. The writing on the cake will most likely be a natural cream color. One possible decoration or filling idea up our sleeves is to use SunDrops candies, a natural alternative to M&M's. These are sold at our local health food store.

We still have plenty of leftover paper goods from parties past, so many of the basics are already covered. We also have tons of red balloons and some punching balls from the dollar store to add color and festivity.

So far, this party is shaping up to be low cost and full of fun. There's still more planning, crafting, and cooking to be done, but we're confident it will all come together fabulously. I can't wait to have a party that is truly inspired by Jackson; a party that celebrates all the wonderful things about him. Not only will these DIY projects result in cost savings, but they will also make for a more meaningful, memorable party.

Exchanging Frivolity for Frugality: A Beginner's Guide to Handling Money

I'm going to attempt to make this as unpretentious and smug-free as possible but there are definitely some issues that need to be addressed. I'm going to go through some basics when it comes to making purchases and saving money and I hope that they are helpful to anyone who is struggling to make ends meet or those who want to simplify their lives. Most of the main points I am making I, myself, have fallen victim to, or I know someone else who has. Money is a major cause for fights, separations, divorces, etc. and in the current state of the economy, it is important to know how to make simple cut-backs in your own spending and realize what really matters. Handling and saving money is a crucial skill for any homemaker looking to improve their life and the world around them. The reality is that we need money to live and without it there is no home.

Before I get in to the main body of this, I want to explain what money really is. Money is a physical representation of your personal efforts. Most of us have a job of some sort and in exchange for our skills and time, we get money, which is easier to exchange than directly bartering or trading your own skills or goods. My grandfather once told me that before you buy anything, think about what it costs. How many hours did it take you at work to earn the cost of the product or service? Is your time really worth it? Minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. Assuming it is an 8 hour day, 58 dollars is made (before taxes). Therefore, if you are looking to purchase an item costing $58, that is an entire day's work. I know this seems like a no-brainer, but how often do we really think about it before handing over the debit card?

After thinking about what your time is worth, there are a series of questions that I personally like to ask myself before making a purchase.

1. Do I really want it? - If you don't want it then obviously don't buy it. If you aren't sure, go home, wait 24 hours, then decide. A lot of times you'll realize that it wasn't something you really wanted but rather, an impulse. It is also a good idea to research what it is you want. Consumer Reports is a great site to check products and see what others who have already purchased them have to say. If it has a low rating, you may want to either find another product with a better rating, or not purchase at all. In addition to the initial question, is this something that you are going to use or consume or will it sit and collect dust or rot? Is it something you will get bored with after a small amount of time? Is it useful? Will it help you or bring you happiness (although true happiness cannot be bought but sometimes things can make us happy)? If all else fails, just watch an episode of Hoarders, that always manages to scare the crap out of me.

2. Do I need it? - Do you have something else that could easily be used as a substitute? Do you already own one? If you answered 'yes' to either of these then no, you don't need it. Food is a necessity, brand-name or prepackaged food is not. Although I will argue for some brands which the generic simply won't suffice and that is fine, it all goes back to what your time is worth to you.

3. Can I afford it? - It is important to know the current state of your bank account at all times. It's a lot easier today with online banking and most banks now have websites where you can check your balance regularly. If not, you can always do it the old-fashioned way by writing down all purchases and deposits in your checkbook. It is good practice to not buy anything that you couldn't pay for in cash. Credit is something that can easily take control of our lives and has the potential to cause many problems. I know there are some things that are needed that must be bought through a loan such as a car or a house. Just make sure that you will be able to keep up with the payments before your purchase. A financial advisor can help you decide your price range.

4. Can I make it myself? - This is a more nontraditional question to ask yourself before buying something, but in the world of DIY, it is worth asking. If you are a plumber, you wouldn't pay someone else to come in and fix a leaky pipe. Likewise, if you can bake a pie from scratch with fresh ingredients, why would you buy a frozen Sara Lee pie? Not to mention, most prepackaged food is full of preservatives, sodium, and unnecessary sugar. If you can sew a new shirt or bag, why buy one that would otherwise support sweatshop and child labor? By cutting out the 'middle man', you can save money, too. Why pay for something when you can do it yourself and gain a sense of accomplishment, too? I will admit that sometimes it is not cost-efficient to buy supplies to make something versus the pre-made product, but the decision is ultimately up to you.

While working in retail at a bargain store, I swore that if someone put a 99 cent sticker on a dead rat and left it on a shelf, someone would buy it. This is something that I have fallen for and continue to see others caught in the trap. It isn't necessary to purchase something simply because it is cheap. Nor is it wise to buy something because it is on sale or clearance. You are not saving money if you buy something that you weren't intending to buy in the first place. In saying this, remember the first two questions to ask yourself before purchases.

Frugality is defined as “sparing or economical with regard to money or food.” It is spending your money in a way that makes sense and that is not wasteful. It doesn't mean always buying what is cheap, either. Frugality encompasses buying items of better quality so they will last longer. In doing that, you will be saving money in the long run. Buying a $10 pair of shoes that will wear out in months isn't as smart as buying a pair that cost more but will last for years. Similarly, foods that are bad for us such as fast foods are cheap. But like the shoes, it quickly wears out our bodies.

When it comes to saving, I personally prefer to keep my money in a credit union. Here are a few reasons why.

Open a savings account in addition to your checking. Even if you can only spare to save $20 a week, do it. Make sure your savings account is the kind where you would have to physically go to the bank to get that money out. Out of sight, out of mind holds true. I used to do this and it proved extremely useful. It was also very easy for me to transfer the funds online when I really needed them. In doing this, you can be prepared for the unexpected.

If any of this resonates with you or fits within your values I encourage you to give it a try. It is our duty as responsible homemakers and householders to not be mindless consumers, but rather, frugal educated ones. Happy shopping and enjoy the benefits of your new found cash stash, wisely of course!

Project Veggie Garden, Day 28

While watering my seedlings, I realized I'm way overdue for a garden update, so here I am. A couple of weeks ago my seedlings were sunbathing on the kitchen table while my son played in the living room. All was well. I was actually surprised at how little he cared about them, since he gets into absolutely everything and can spot a new item in a room instantly. I had just changed Jackson's diaper and took it upstairs to deposit in the diaper pail with no real concern for my vulnerable little green babies sitting within his reach. You can see where this is going. I walked downstairs to find a grinning toddler amongst the remains of a seedling massacre. As sad and angry as I was, I couldn't be mad at him - he had no idea what was in that egg carton he pulled off the table, and he probably had a blast dumping soil and seedlings all over the first floor of my home. Somehow I managed to retrieve most of the seedlings off the floor and replant them in said carton shortly thereafter. I didn't have much hope that they would make it, but I had to try. Interestingly, the basil seedlings that had been dumped all over the house went on to fare much better than the unharmed carton that was sitting next to it. I can only assume they appreciated the fresh soil they received; aside from that, it's still largely a mystery to me. In any case, I still have 9 healthy basil seedlings that have since been transplanted to their own peat pots.

The lettuce seedlings aren't quite as resilient, sadly. We're down to 6 healthy lettuce seedlings from the 10 original. We are in the process of hardening them off for their move into the garden next week. With the cold streak and lack of sunshine this past week, it has not been ideal weather for these little guys. I am hoping that the seed starting chart isn't misleading us by recommending planting outdoors this early. On that note, we have delayed sowing the spinach seeds outdoors until next week due to snow and generally bad weather that sapped our confidence in starting on schedule. Here's hoping it starts looking like spring out there soon.

The eggplant and pepper seeds have emerged and are doing wonderfully! Somehow they appear to be thriving in this less-than-ideal seed-starting environment. They are all tall, dark green, and strong! Interestingly, the eggplant and pepper seedlings look so much alike, I can't tell them apart without reading my labels. I'm thinking they are going to need transplanted into something bigger soon, but for now they still look happy enough in their roomy toilet paper rolls.

I also started the cucumber seeds this week. I used the bottom of a plastic salad container for the tray this time, and I think it's my favorite seedling tray thus far. We have used clementine boxes, egg carton lids, and tissue boxes, and they all work fine. But the salad box seems to be just the right height and adds a little extra stability for the cardboard tubes.

Next week we will be sowing zucchini seeds indoors, and if the weather holds out, we'll be transplanting lettuce and sowing spinach and carrot seeds out back in our very own veggie garden. We're so excited! And scared! I'll tell you how it goes next week. 'Til then, be well!

Bake Your Own Bread

For the past month or so, I've been baking my own bread. It's one of those things I always said I wanted to do, and once I started, I had no idea why I hadn't done it sooner. Fresh baked bread is a zillion times tastier than store-bought, it's inexpensive to make, and it's easier than you think. Not to mention, you know exactly what's in it - and perhaps more importantly, what's not. Try looking for a loaf of bread in your local supermarket that does not contain high fructose corn syrup, and you'll see what I mean. Even the "healthy" choices contain far more ingredients than are necessary. All you really need is some basic baking supplies, a loaf pan (cost is generally between 8 to 10 dollars), and a good recipe (free recipes abound on our friend, the internet). Stand mixers and bread machines can be handy appliances if you know you will be baking bread regularly, but they're not at all necessary to produce delicious homemade bread.

I have tried numerous bread recipes, and they all came out pretty delicious, but my current favorite, this honey wheat bread, comes from one of my go-to recipe sites, Weelicious.com. This recipe also makes excellent hamburger buns, by the way! Just shape the dough into large rolls, bake, and cut in half with a bread knife after they cool.

Another tip: Hang on to a couple of plastic bags and twisty ties from your store-bought loaves. Use them to store your homemade bread to keep it fresh and soft.

Search the web for appealing bread recipes and experiment until you find your own favorites. Homemade bread is so addicting, you're never going to want to buy the stuff at the grocery again!